Would this virtual reality roller coaster induce more excitement out of you… or more vomit?

It took me a long time as a kid to get up the nerve to ride the “big” roller coasters. But now that I’m older and have kids of my own, it’s sort of a “thing” my boys and I like to do—and it seems the crazier the roller coaster, the better.

Well, thanks to a recent YouTube binging session, I think I may have found one of the crazier ones. It’s not necessarily the craziest roller coast but maybe the craziest concept.

The roller coaster is the Superman virtual reality roller coast at Six Flags. There’s nothing really exciting about the roller coaster structure itself. Instead, it’s the idea of wearing a virtual reality (VR) headset while riding the coaster that makes it exciting.

Create any story

With the VR headset attached, the virtual reality roller coaster ride can take you inside any “story” they want. In this case, it’s a Superman saves the world type story. But what I love is that the creators of this ride need only change the virtual reality story and the same exact ride becomes a whole new experience. It could be Superman today but an outer space or canyon ride adventure tomorrow.

My only concern with this ride is how real it would feel. I’ve read enough books to know that your brain has a difficult time distinguishing between real and virtual experiences. If you don’t believe me, strap on a VR headset and watch a cobra snake hiss at you right in front of your face.

So my big question is, would you ride a virtual reality roller coaster like this one and, if you did, would it induce more excitement out of you… or more vomit?

Patric Welch founded Noobie, Inc. in 2006 to help others effectively choose and use technologies to enhance their work and lives. The catchy company name earned Welch the name of Mr. Noobie®, but, in reality, Welch is an experienced and professional techie. Unlike most techies, Welch evaluates emerging technologies from a noobie’s perspective and provides technology education for all skill levels in a friendly, non-threatening way.